hello vonn, I am new to this board and I am also in the process of trying to get my disibility.
I just wanted to agree with georg and also add that there are many ssd lawyers out there..the trick is to find one that specializes in ssd..these lawyers will not charge you a fee upfront nor after if you are denied..on the other hand if you win your claim they do get a percentage of your back pay
it is no more than 5,000 dollars for their part in your claim..from what I understand once you win your claim ssd will normally pay your lawyer first out of your back pay that way you wont even miss it and you wont have to worry about paying your lawyer.

Some lawyers will also charge you extra for misc things they do..like make a phone call, faxes, ect..I would try to stay away from these lawyers because if you are denied your claim by an alj hearing judge you would still be responsible for these misc charges to your lawyer. So, just make sure it is one set price if you win.

also, one last thing; it is very important to hire a ssd lawyer to handle everything for you..it is a very LONG wait and Very stressful to say the least.
so dont feel embarrased! you will be paying them good money if they win your claim for you so let them do there job.
save your strength and sanity for the hearing and again the very, very long wait to get your answer.

good luck